Clip fasteners replace traditional screw fixings in many applications and have may uses in a wide variety of industries. Broadly speaking, clip fasteners are utilized for fastening two or more components together. Challenges faced by industries include different types of tools needed for assembly and different materials to be fastened together. Other challenges include fastening locations, which may offer only limited access for both assembly during manufacture and removal or adjustment during maintenance. Each of these challenges has the potential for increasing assembly cost to manufacturers because of added tooling as well as extra assembly time.
Clip fasteners commonly find utility in the energy and automotive sectors. In the energy sector, clip fasteners are commonly used to hold solar panels to underlying framework. Also in the energy sector, clip fasteners are used to fasten and ground photovoltaic modules and in the fastening of electric cables.
In the automotive sector, clip fasteners have many uses, including in air bag assembly, window construction, instrument panels and interior and exterior trim attachment. These are some examples of the many uses known for clip fasteners.
Modern demands on the design and construction of clip fasteners mean that new clip fastener solutions need to contribute to ease of assembly as used in production (particularly in view of increasing automation) and provide excellent attachment strength, while maintaining high reliability and low production costs. Compliance with the need for standardization and the requirements of the automotive industry has proved challenging to current clip fastener designs.
Accordingly, and as is the case in many industries, known approaches to clip fasteners for use in attaching components together are undesirable and impractical. An improved arrangement for attaching two components together remains wanting.